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Choosing The Best Dog Food For Larger Breeds

There are plenty of good dog food brands on the market today. However, it is important to realize that the best dog food for one breed of dog might be totally inadequate for a different breed. When choosing a top dog food for one of the larger breeds, such as a Labrador retriever or husky, quality really does matter.

Large breeds are commonly defined as dogs that are expected to weigh fifty pounds or more at maturity. Puppies of these breeds grow extremely fast, and are still growing until they are up to two years old. One mistake owners of large breed puppies make is transitioning their pets from puppy food to regular dog food once they are a year old. While this is appropriate for smaller breed dogs, the larger breeds require extra nutrition for up to an additional year. Without this nutritional support, health issues such as skeletal deformities can occur.

It is important to remember that quantity is not a substitute for quality when choosing healthy dog food for a larger breed. When you choose the best dog foods for a large breed puppy or adult dog, you will not need to overfeed. Instead, the food will be nutritionally dense, without providing too many excess calories. By reading the labels, you will quickly realize that the top dog foods for large breeds are packed with nutrition. So, you will be able to feed your large breed puppy or dog an appropriate amount of food, without overfeeding, while still making sure his or her extra nutritional needs are being met.

It is important to carefully read the label and calculate the amount of food your dog should have, since even the best food for dogs can be misused. Make sure you are feeding large breed puppies an appropriate puppy food up until the time they are finished growing. Understand the quantity of food that your dog should be given, based upon his or her weight, age, and level of activity. The goal is to keep the dog healthy, lean and well-nourished, not overfed and overweight. Adhering to a regular feeding schedule can help. Small meals on a regular schedule are far better than providing constant access to food. Some dogs tend to overeat, so providing constant access to food can lead to a fat, unhealthy dog.

The same is true with feeding puppies. The goal is to feed large breed puppies a high-quality food, on a regular schedule, so that their growth is carefully regulated. A puppy should never end up overweight while he or she is young, as this can lead to undesirable health issues that could follow a puppy through his or her adult life.

Dry food is generally more economical for large breed dogs. If you do use a combination of wet and dry food, it is important to calculate the combined calorie and nutrient content of the foods. Canned foods tend to have higher fat content as compared to dry foods, so keeping track of calorie totals is important.